Written Answers Thursday 5 May 2005

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it has made to ensure that membership of the EU Agricultural Subsidies Appeals Panel is as independent as possible and what plans it has to further increase the independence of the panel.

Ross Finnie: The overall appeals procedure has three separate stages :

  Stage 1 is an internal three person Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) panel comprising officials who were not involved in the original decision to refuse, reduce or recover a producer’s subsidy.

  Stage 2 comprises an advisory three person panel comprising two external members from the industry and a SEERAD official not involved in the original decision or the Stage 1 appeal. This panel makes a recommendation to me with its findings.

  Stage 3 is an appeal to the Scottish Land Court and this stage is wholly independent.

  The members of the Stage 2 external panel appointed in 2000, were recruited in line with the public appointment procedures. A further recruitment exercise was undertaken last year to obtain additional members to cater for an expected upsurge of appeals under CAP Reform. Again, best practise in the public appointments procedure was followed.

  I have no reason to question the independence of the external members in the Stage 2 process and I had no plans to increase further the independence of the panel.

Alcohol Misuse

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) male and (b) female alcohol-related deaths there have been in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Tavish Scott: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Alcohol-Related Deaths1, by Health Board Area and Sex, 1997-2003

  

 NHS Board Area
 Sex
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003


 Scotland
 Male
 600
 634
 711
 791
 861
 924
 947


 Female
 251
 278
 302
 338
 358
 397
 395


 Argyll and Clyde
 Male
 79
 75
 81
 102
 102
 122
 121


 Female
 23
 36
 28
 32
 42
 33
 35


 Ayrshire and Arran
 Male
 57
 34
 39
 51
 52
 57
 65


 Female
 29
 19
 24
 26
 24
 29
 29


 Borders
 Male
 3
 7
 5
 6
 6
 7
 5


 Female
 3
 2
 4
 2
 7
 7
 6


 Dumfries and Galloway
 Male
 8
 9
 8
 8
 16
 11
 16


 Female
 6
 9
 2
 9
 5
 11
 9


 Fife
 Male
 16
 23
 31
 48
 37
 47
 31


 Female
 6
 13
 15
 17
 13
 21
 21


 Forth Valley
 Male
 25
 20
 27
 31
 34
 35
 36


 Female
 11
 11
 12
 19
 17
 18
 18


 Grampian
 Male
 36
 44
 47
 58
 67
 50
 56


 Female
 12
 12
 21
 22
 21
 23
 19


 Greater Glasgow
 Male
 172
 198
 218
 222
 250
 267
 261


 Female
 73
 73
 72
 83
 97
 104
 109


 Highland
 Male
 29
 27
 26
 40
 28
 35
 30


 Female
 9
 5
 13
 17
 15
 22
 18


 Lanarkshire
 Male
 52
 75
 88
 81
 83
 93
 108


 Female
 28
 37
 34
 29
 35
 56
 45


 Lothian
 Male
 83
 73
 91
 95
 114
 127
 126


 Female
 30
 40
 44
 61
 56
 44
 46


 Orkney
 Male
 3
 2
 2
 5
 7
 3
 5


 Female
 
 
 
 
 1
 1
 1


 Shetland
 Male
 1
 2
 1
 1
 4
 1
 1


 Female
 3
 1
 
 
 1
 
 1


 Tayside
 Male
 34
 40
 42
 40
 59
 61
 78


 Female
 17
 20
 31
 21
 23
 27
 33


 Western Isles
 Male
 2
 5
 5
 3
 2
 8
 8


 Female
 1
 
 2
 
 1
 1
 5



  Note: 1. Causes of death included:

  (a) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol.

  (b) Alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

  (c) Alcoholic liver disease.

  Our Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems, published in 2002, set out an integrated programme of preventative work, education, treatment, protection and controls all designed to change Scotland’s drinking cultures. This plan is currently being updated and will be submitted for approval by the new Ministerial Working Group on Alcohol.

  Key initiatives detailed in the new plan to combat alcohol-related deaths include:

  Additional funding (around £5 million a year) for alcohol treatment services across Scotland.

  Work with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to better implement SIGN guidelines and the recommendations of the recent Health Technology Board for Scotland assessment to improve service quality.

  Improved information systems and an alcohol research programme.

  Enhanced communication and education programmes providing better information on the health effects of alcohol.

  These will supplement existing developments at national and local level, including:

  The provisions in the new licensing bill to tackle underage and binge drinking.

  Work with the police and other agencies to support designed "safe" places to help short-term recovery.

  Training for bar staff through Servewise and training for medical and other practitioners through STRADA.

  Drinkline telephone service for advice on alcohol problems.

Alcohol Misuse

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the laws concerning prosecutions for the sale of alcohol to under-age children and drunk persons are being adequately enforced.

Cathy Jamieson: The police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service treat all such incidents seriously, and will take action where it is in the public interest to do so.

Alcohol Misuse

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase the support it provides to local alcohol counselling agencies.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive allocated direct funding to NHS Boards of £3 million in 2004-5 and £5 million in 2005-06 to support the provision of alcohol treatment services. It is for the local NHS board, in consultation with their partners on the local Alcohol Action Team to allocate this investment to the type of services which best meet local need.

  The Executive is currently updating its Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems and will consider future support for local agencies as part of this process.

Ambulance Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of requests by GPs for an ambulance within one hour, not including immediate or non-urgent requests, were met within the hour in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The figures for 2000-01 and 2001-02 are not available. The percentage of requests by GPs for an ambulance within an hour which were met within the hour for 2002-05 are set out in the following table. The information is not available for the earlier two years.

  

 Health Board Area
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Argyll and Clyde
 72.6%
 72.9%
 63.3%


 Ayrshire and Arran
 87.5%
 76.5%
 67.6%


 Borders
 64.0%
 60.0%
 63.2%


 Dumfries and Galloway
 86.9%
 75.6%
 45.5%


 Fife
 83.8%
 74.7%
 53.2%


 Forth Valley
 81.1%
 70.6%
 62.5%


 Grampian
 87.0%
 94.7%
 99.1%


 Greater Glasgow
 51.2%
 42.5%
 37.4%


 Highland
 90.2%
 95.3%
 98.6%


 Lanarkshire
 59.2%
 53.1%
 45.0%


 Lothian
 63.0%
 61.4%
 55.7%


 Orkney
 91.2%
 94.4%
 98.7%


 Shetland
 86.8%
 96.2%
 100.0%


 Tayside
 83.4%
 71.1%
 63.0%


 Western Isles
 90.5%
 95.8%
 99.3%


 Scotland Total
 72.1%
 69.3%
 85.6%



  The reduction in performance in some areas, especially those with sizeable urban conurbations, may be seen as an indicator of the progress the Scottish Ambulance Service is making towards delivery of its eight minute response time target for category A (life threatening) calls. An accident and emergency unit on its way to a GPs urgent call can be diverted to a category A emergency incident if that is the nearest available unit. This prioritisation of the category A emergency call over the GPs urgent call reflects the comparative risk of the emergency call over the GPs urgent. The balance of risk also takes account of the fact that, as a rule, GPs urgent calls will mean that the GP has been with the patient and will in many circumstances still be with the patient while the ambulance is on its way. GPs can also call for an emergency response including in circumstances where they may have already made an urgent request but where there is a change to the patient’s condition indicating the need for the call to be upgraded.

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27877 by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 August 2002, whether the objective of having a paramedic on every frontline accident and emergency ambulance by March 2005 has been achieved.

Mr Andy Kerr: Yes, as a result of the success of the Scottish Ambulance Service’s paramedic training programme, the service has more paramedics than technicians and now has the staffing mix to be able to deploy a paramedic-led response to all calls that require such a response.

Children and Young People

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S1W-9694 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 20 September 2000, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Cathy Jamieson: The number of secure units which are or have been operational in Scotland since 1996 are noted below:

  

 Local Authority Area
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005


 Angus Council*
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1


 City of Edinburgh
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2


 East Dunbartonshire**
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1


 North Ayrshire***
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway****
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fife****
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 City of Dundee
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1


 Total
 7
 6
 6
 6
 6
 6
 6
 6
 6
 6



  Notes:

  *Rossie School, near Montrose is operated by an independent organisation.

  **St Mary’s Kenmure, Bishopbriggs, is operated by an independent organisation.

  ***Kerelaw School, Stevenston, is operated by Glasgow City Council.

  ****Secure Accommodation facilities in Fife and Dumfries and Galloway are no longer operational.

Concessionary Travel

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the tender process for the provision of the appropriate bus infrastructure to support the use of Smartcards for concessionary travel.

Nicol Stephen: The timetable is as follows

  An OJEU (European Journal procurement notice) for interested parties (EOI) was published on 21 March. Replies close on 28 April. The notice reference number is 2005/S 56-054142.

  The planned programme for the remainder of the process is:

  w/c 2 May - evaluation of EOIs

  w/c 9 May – tender document sign off by Executive

  18 May - Document issue to tenderers

  13 July - closing date for tenders

  w/c 18 July - Tender evaluation

  early August - recommendations for inclusion in the framework agreement.

  From late August – implementation of installation plans.

Council Tax

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3285 by Tavish Scott on 9 December 2003, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Tavish Scott: The following table gives, for each council tax band, the estimated percentage of households in each household income band. For example, an estimated 25% of households occupying a band A dwelling have a gross household income of £150 or less per week, excluding any Council Tax Benefit income. These figures are based upon survey data from 2002-03 and 2003-04.

  The Council Tax Band occupied by a household, however, does not equate directly to the Council Tax Bill. Many households with low incomes will qualify for Council Tax Benefit, and will therefore pay little or no council tax from their gross income.

  Gross Household Income Excluding Council Tax Benefit (£ Per Week)

  

 Council Tax Band
 Up to 150
 150 to 300
 300 to 450
 450 to 600
 600 to 750
 Over 750
 Total


 Band A
 25
 40
 16
 9
 5
 5
 100


 Band B
 15
 34
 19
 14
 10
 9
 100


 Band C
 10
 26
 20
 18
 11
 15
 100


 Band D
 7
 20
 17
 17
 14
 24
 100


 Band E
 5
 13
 15
 15
 14
 38
 100


 Band F
 15
 12
 11
 11
 51
 100


 Band G & H
 11
 14
 9
 66
 100



  Note: The percentage of households in each cell has been estimated using data from the Family Resources Survey aggregated over two years. Where the sample size is insufficient to allow confident estimation, cells have been merged. The income figures reported are gross household income from all sources less any income received as Council Tax Benefit. Percentages are reported to the nearest whole number and may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Crime

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many violent assaults involved the use of a knife, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of violent assaults, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) police force area, in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: The recorded crime statistics available centrally on crimes of assault recorded by the police do not distinguish the circumstances of the assault, such as the type of any weapon involved.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what categories of dental check-up will be provided free to patients.

Rhona Brankin: The intention is that, in addition to current dental examinations, patients will be able to receive a more comprehensive oral health assessment free of charge.

Digital Technology

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11573 by Nicol Stephen on 26 November 2004, whether its targets in respect of its commitment to ensure broadband access in every community in Scotland by the end of 2005 are being met.

Nicol Stephen: Yes. Broadband is currently available to about 94% of households and businesses in Scotland, and this will rise to nearly 98% by the summer. As a result of an open procurement exercise, a contract has this month been awarded to BT to provide access to ADSL broadband in the remaining 378 exchange areas in rural and remote Scotland for which there were no plans for commercial services. The roll-out of this contract should be completed by the end of the year.

  While this should bring broadband coverage up to almost 100%, there are reach limitations to ADSL technology, and we shall be working with BT over the next few months to identify any potentially "out of reach" communities and agree appropriate solutions.

  In the Western Isles, broadband access will be brought to "uncommercial" areas via the Connected Communities wireless project, which also has Executive support.

Digital Technology

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11571 by Nicol Stephen on 18 November 2004, what exchanges are not enabled for broadband by BT.

Nicol Stephen: There are 130 exchanges in Scotland due to be enabled for broadband by BT as part of its commercial activities between now and the end of July 2005. Without intervention, this would leave 399 exchanges in Scotland unenabled. 21 of these exchanges are in the Western Isles where alternative broadband coverage will be provided by the Connected Communities wireless network, supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Executive, and European Regional Development Funding.

  The remaining 378 exchanges will be enabled for broadband services over the next few months under the Broadband for Scotland’s Rural and Remote Areas project, supported by the Executive, the enterprise agencies, and European Regional Development Funding. These are as follows:

  

 Abbey St.Bathans
 Eskdalemuir
 Minard


 Aberlemno
 Essendy
 Mochrum


 Achiltibuie
 Ettrick Bridge 
 Morvern


 Achnamara
 Ettrick Valley 
 Moscow 


 Achnasheen
 Evie
 Mossyard


 Achnashellach
 Fair Isle
 Mouswald


 Advie
 Farnell
 Muir of Fowlis


 Altnahara
 Farr
 Mulben


 Amulree
 Fern
 New Luce


 Applecross
 Fetlar
 Nigg


 Arden 
 Finavon
 Nigg Station


 Ardentinny*
 Fiveways
 North Erradale 


 Ardgour
 Ford, Argyll and Bute
 North Roe


 Ardvasar
 Foreside
 North Ronaldsay 


 Ardwell
 Forgue
 Old Dailly


 Arisaig
 Forss
 Ollaberry


 Arncroach
 Foula
 Onich


 Aros
 Fountainhall
 Ormsary


 Ashkirk
 Furnace
 Orphir


 Assynt
 Garlieston
 Orton, Grampian


 Auchencairn
 Gartly
 Out Skerries


 Auchenmalg
 Gartocharn
 Palnackie


 Auchleuchries
 Garvald
 Papa Stour


 Aultguish
 Garve
 Papa Westray


 Badachro
 Gask
 Parton


 Balfour
 Gigha
 Pennyghael


 Ballindalloch
 Gillock
 Pinwherry


 Balmacara
 Glass
 Pirnmill


 Balmaha
 Glenalmond
 Plockton


 Bankshill
 Glenbarr
 Poolewe


 Barbreck
 Glenborrodale
 Port Askaig


 Bargrennan
 Glendale 
 Port of Menteith 


 Barr
 Glendaruel
 Portnahaven


 Barrhill
 Glenelg
 Poyntzfield


 Bentpath
 Glenferness
 Raasay


 Berriedale
 Glenisla
 Rait


 Bigton
 Glenkindie
 Reawick


 Birsay
 Glenlyon
 Reay


 Blacklunans
 Glenmazeran
 Ringford


 Blainslie
 Glenmoriston
 Rockcliffe, Dumfries and Galloway


 Bonawe
 Glenshee
 Rosehall


 Boreland
 Glenshiel
 Rothiemay


 Borgue
 Glenurquhart
 Rousay


 Borthwick Brae
 Grange
 Roxburgh


 Bressay
 Grantshouse
 Sanday


 Bridge of Balgie 
 Gutcher
 Sandness


 Bridge of Cally
 Halladale
 Scatwell


 Bridge of Dun 
 Heriot
 Schivas


 Bridge of Gaur 
 Hillswick
 Scourie


 Bridge of Westfield 
 Hoy
 Shieldaig


 Burravoe
 Humbie
 Skellister


 Burray
 Innerwick
 Skipness


 Butterstone
 Inverarity
 Skirling


 Cabrach
 Invergarry
 Sliddery


 Cairndow
 Invershin
 Sligachan


 Cairngorm
 Inversnaid
 Smailholm


 Cairnie
 Inveruglas
 Sorbie


 Cairnryan
 Isle Ornsay 
 Southend, Strathclyde


 Calvine
 John O’groats
 Southwick (West Scotland)


 Camptown
 Johnstone Bridge 
 St.Fillans


 Cannich
 Jura
 Staffin


 Cappercleuch
 Keiss
 Steele Road 


 Careston
 Kettleholm
 Stenton


 Carmyllie
 Kilchattan Bay 
 Stobo


 Carrutherstown
 Kilchenzie
 Stoer


 Carsphairn
 Kilchoan
 Straiton


 Chapelknowe
 Kilchrenan
 Strathardle


 Clachan
 Kildonan
 Strathconon


 Clarencefield
 Kildrummy
 Strathkanaird


 Cleish Hills
 Kilfinan
 Strathnaver


 Clochan
 Killilan
 Strathtay


 Clova
 Kilmartin
 Strathy


 Colintraive
 Kilmelford
 Strathyre


 Coll
 Kilmore
 Stromeferry


 Collieston
 Kilninver
 Stronsay


 Colmonell
 Kinbrace
 Strontian


 Colonsay
 Kincardine O’neil
 Struan


 Colpy
 Kincraig
 Struy


 Corrie
 King Edward
 Swinton, Border


 Corsock
 Kingairloch
 Talmine


 Cortachy
 Kingshouse
 Tankerness


 Coulport*
 Kinloch Rannoch
 Tarfside


 Craigie
 Kinlochard
 Tarskavaig


 Craignure
 Kinlocheil
 Tayinloan


 Craigton
 Kinlochewe
 Tayvallich


 Crailing
 Kinlochspelve
 Temple 


 Crathie
 Kippford
 Teviotdale


 Crawfordjohn
 Kirkgunzeon
 The Craigs


 Crianlarich
 Kirkinner
 Thrumster


 Crinan
 Kirkmichael
 Tiroran


 Crocketford
 Kirkoswald
 Tomatin


 Cummertrees
 Kirkton Manor
 Tomdoun


 Dalchreichart
 Kishorn
 Tomintoul


 Dallas 
 Knock, Grampian
 Tongue


 Dalleagles
 Laggan
 Torranyard


 Dalwhinnie
 Lamington
 Torridon


 Daviot
 Latheron
 Toward


 Deerness
 Laurieston
 Townhead


 Dervaig
 Lempitlaw
 Trochry


 Diabaig
 Lendalfoot
 Trossachs


 Dochgarroch
 Leswalt
 Tulloch


 Dolphinton
 Lintrathen
 Tummel Bridge 


 Dores
 Lismore
 Tweedsmuir


 Dornie
 Loch Scavaig
 Twynholm


 Drochil Castle 
 Lochailort
 Tyndrum


 Drumbeg
 Lochavich
 Uig


 Drumblade
 Lochbroom
 Ulva Ferry


 Drumclog
 Lochearnhead
 Urray


 Drummuir
 Lochmore
 Uyeasound


 Dulnain Bridge 
 Lochranza
 Vidlin


 Dunbeath
 Loganswell
 Voe


 Dundonnell
 Longformacus
 Walls


 Dundrennan
 Longhope, 
 Waterbeck


 Dunphail
 Luing
 Waternish


 Dunragit
 Luss
 Weisdale


 Dunsyre
 Luthrie
 West Sandwick 


 Duntulm
 Lyth
 Westerdale


 Durisdeer
 Machrie
 Westruther


 Durness
 Machrihanish
 Whiteface


 Duror
 Madderty
 Whitehouse


 Eday
 Marrburn
 Whitekirk


 Edderton
 Meikleour
 Whiterashes


 Eddleston
 Melvich
 Whitsome


 Eden 
 Menmuir
 Yarrow


 Edinbane
 Merkland
 Yarrowford


 Elvanfoot
 Mid Yell
 Ythanwells



  Note: *Spilt exchange area.

Drug Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are in place to support drug misusers on completion of prison sentences.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  At the end of an offender’s sentence a "transitional care" service is offered to support drug-misusing offenders serving sentences of four years or less, who do not have access to statutory social work care. All offenders are offered assistance in the form of "harm reduction" sessions at admission as part of the National Induction process. Dependent on sentence length additional supports may be accessed.

  A local authority "in reach" service will replace the transitional care service, (Addictions Throughcare) up to six weeks before the offender leaves custody. The follow up in the community will be under the auspices of voluntary throughcare provided by Criminal Justice Social Work.

  Offenders serving less than 31 days can access "Crisis Transitional Care" focusing on harm reduction, housing and health (substance misuse specific).

Elderly People

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage community care of garden schemes to assist elderly people who are unable to maintain their gardens.

Rhona Brankin: Local authorities have a duty under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess the community care needs of people who appear to be in need of support and to decide, in the light of the assessment, what services to arrange.

  While help with gardening does not generally form a part of community care packages, local authorities do have discretion to provide gardening schemes for elderly residents depending on local priorities. The Scottish Executive, through Supporting People grant, funds advice and assistance to older people to maintain their own gardens independently. Supporting People clients are also encouraged to access gardening services. Additionally, several Care and Repair projects help older and disabled home owners maintain their gardens.

European Union

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to encourage European institutes to establish headquarters in Scotland; which institutes it has tried to attract, and where it has encouraged them to locate.

Mr Tom McCabe: The siting of EU agencies, institutes and other such bodies is determined within EU processes. The input of the UK, as the member state, into that process is reserved and ultimately a matter for the UK Government. The Executive is in regular contact with UK Government Departments about a wide range of EU issues, including the siting of EU agencies. In 2003 the Executive liaised closely with the UK Government in supporting a bid to locate the European Maritime Safety Agency in Glasgow.

  I refer the member to the answers to the questions S2W-5172 on 27 January 2004, S2O-36 on 27 May 2003, S1W-30246 on 24 October 2002, S1W-30248 on 24 October 2002, S1W-30249 on 24 October 2002, S1W-28868 on 18 September 2002 and S1W-22364 on 14 February 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

European Union

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the European Commission’s Green Paper, Confronting Demographic Change: a new solidarity between the nations ; if not, whether it intends to respond to the green paper, whether it will do so independently or through the UK Government and whether it will publish any such response.

Tom McCabe: The Executive’s comments on the European Commission’s Green Paper, Confronting Demographic Change: a new solidarity between the nations will be fed into the UK Government’s response. The European Commission’s normal practice is to publish any documents which it receives on its website

European Union

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the issues raised in the European Commission’s Green Paper, Confronting Demographic Change: a new solidarity between the nations .

Tom McCabe: We are currently considering the issues raised in the green paper, and will be feeding our comments into the UK Government’s response.

Family Mediation

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA about future funding of family mediation and couple counselling services.

Hugh Henry: None as yet. Our goal is to secure an integrated approach to the needs of families in transition. We want to see family relationship support services more closely aligned with other important services to children and families provided or secured by local government. Many local authorities already support local family relationship services. I am considering how current Executive funding can be best channelled to ensure sustainable and effective local services. We will welcome discussions with COSLA, and with individual authorities, in due course.

Flood Prevention

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12205 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 November 2004, when it will publish the recommendations of the National Technical Advisory Group on Flooding Issues; whether these will include recommendations on the definition, objectives and principles for sustainable flood management, and whether the recommendations will be subject to public consultation.

Lewis Macdonald: The National Technical Advisory Group on Flooding Issues (NTAG) presented its conclusions to the Executive in December 2004 in a final report, which is published on the Executive’s website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/Flooding/16919/ntgfinalreport .

  The report proposes a draft definition of sustainable flood management, as well as measurable objectives and principles. The Executive intends to test how the outputs might work in practice in a pilot study this summer and the findings will be subject to public consultation later in 2005.

Flood Prevention

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12204 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 November 2004, what progress it has made on publishing technical guidance for local authorities on the design of sustainable flood management schemes and when the guidance will become available to local authorities to inform the design of their flood alleviation schemes.

Lewis Macdonald: The National Technical Advisory Group on Flooding Issues (NTAG) was set up to offer advice to the Executive on the preparation of technical guidance for local authorities looking to take forward flood prevention schemes. It also produced a definition, objectives and principles for sustainable flood management, which will underpin the technical guidance. NTAG has fulfilled its remit and the Flooding Issues Advisory Committee has now been established to continue its work.

  Two chapters of the technical guidance, namely Approaches to risk and Economic appraisals, have been completed and will be issued shortly to local authorities and other stakeholders interested in taking forward flood prevention schemes. Further chapters of the guidance will be issued in due course.

Flood Prevention

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment of the full life cycle of carbon emissions it makes when considering flood defence proposals.

Lewis Macdonald: At present, the Executive does not undertake, or require local authorities to undertake, a full life assessment of the carbon emissions associated with a flood prevention scheme. We are, however, developing an approach to sustainable flood management which will require a whole life assessment of the costs and benefits of a scheme, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a scheme being one of the proposed measures of sustainability. This developing approach is detailed in a paper presented to the newly formed Flooding Issues Advisory Committee at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/Flooding/16919/fiacsfm .

Flood Prevention

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to how it considers flood defence schemes it will make as part of its review of the Scottish Climate Change Programme.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive’s review of its Climate Change Programme is on-going. Adaptation to the impacts of climate change is a key aspect of the review. Given that an increase in flood risk is one of the more significant consequences of climate change for Scotland it will be covered by the review. It should be noted that the Executive already requires local authorities to make provision for the impacts of climate change in the design of flood prevention schemes. On the mitigation of climate change, I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16152 on 5 May 2005, which outlines our approach to sustainable flood management, including the greenhouse gas implications associated with a flood prevention scheme. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Fresh Talent Initiative

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote employment opportunities in Scotland and the Fresh Talent initiative at careers events at higher education institutions in the United States of America.

Tom McCabe: The Executive’s current activities to promote Fresh Talent overseas do not include attendance at any careers events in the United States of America. However, the Executive did have a stand within the Scottish Village in New York during Tartan Week, and this provided information about the Fresh Talent Initiative and was staffed by officials from the Fresh Talent team.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote employment opportunities in Scotland and the Fresh Talent initiative at careers events at higher education institutions in the European Union, broken down by country.

Tom McCabe: The Executive’s current activities to promote Fresh Talent overseas have included attendance at two careers fairs in Poland in March 2005.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many GP practices have withdrawn minor injuries services as a result of the NHS board opting not to fund the enhanced payments scheme for provision of these services under the new GP contract.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is not available centrally.

  All practices are expected to provide to all of their patients essential and those additional services they are contracted to provide under the terms of the new General Medical Services contract. Minor injury services are defined under the contract as enhanced services and NHS boards decide whether or not there is a local need for the provision of these more specialised services. NHS boards also determine the location of such services. To prevent any erosion of services the new General Medical Services contract is underpinned by a Patient Services Guarantee which states that it is the responsibility of the NHS board to ensure continuation of the full range of services to patients under the new contract, as was available under the previous contract.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were diagnosed with acoustic neuroma in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board, and how many were treated with (a) ENT surgery, (b) neurosurgery, (c) stereotactic radiosurgery and (d) stereotactic radiotherapy.

Mr Andy Kerr: Table A shows the incidence of acoustic neuroma in Scotland for 2000 to 2001. Cancer registration has included acoustic neuromas since 2000 and the cancer registry is currently considered complete up to the end of 2001. Data at NHS board level are not provided because of the small numbers involved. This is regarded as potentially identifiable in terms of the Data Protection Act 1998.

  Table A

  

 Year of diagnosis
 2000
 2001


 Scotland 
 30
 17



  Source: ISD, NHS National Services Scotland.

  Table B shows the number of patients undergoing treatment, either singly or in combination.

  Table B

  

 Treatments
 2000
 2001


 Surgery
 24
 14


 Radiotherapy
 1
 0


 Other therapy
 1
 3



  Source: ISD, NHS National Services Scotland.

  Note: Details of the type of surgery and radiotherapy are not available.

Health

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15970 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 April 2005, which sexual health organisations and organisations focusing on HIV and hepatitis C it intends to meet to discuss its proposals on compulsory blood testing and when the meetings will take place.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is taking part in discussion fora on 4 May 2005 organised by HIV-Scotland for organisations involved with HIV, and on 1 June 2005 by Positive Voice for individuals living with HIV. An extension to the consultation deadline has been agreed for these two organisations to allow the outcomes of the discussions to be fed into the process.

  In addition the proposals were discussed, and the groups’ views requested, at the meetings of the UK Health Departments’ Expert Advisory Group on AIDS and Advisory Group on Hepatitis, on 3 March 2004 and 27 April 2004 respectively. Executive officials were present at both meetings.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been treated by CT scanners in each year since 1999 in (a) Scotland and (b) each NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally. CT scanners are used mainly for diagnosis but may also be helpful in monitoring effectiveness of some treatments and for radiotherapy treatment planning for some patients with cancer.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many CT scanners there are per head of population in (a) Scotland and (b) each NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS Board
 CTs1
 Rate Per 100,000 Population2


 Argyll and Clyde
 4
 0.96


 Ayrshire and Arran
 2
 0.54


 Borders
 1
 0.92


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 0.68


 Fife
 2
 0.56


 Forth Valley
 2
 0.71


 Grampian
 2
 0.38


 Greater Glasgow
 11
 1.27


 Highland
 2
 0.95


 Lanarkshire
 3
 0.54


 Lothian
 6
 0.76


 Orkney
 0
 0.00


 Shetland
 0
 0.00


 Tayside
 4
 1.03


 Western Isles
 1
 3.81


 Jubilee Hospital
 1
 -


 Scotland
 42
 0.83



  Source1: Scottish Healthcare Supplies, NHS National Services Scotland.

  Source2: Information Services, NHS National Services Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Number of CT scanners and rate per 100,000 population by NHS board for 2004.

  2. Rates take no account of cross boundary flow between NHS board areas.

  3. Procurement of a CT scanner for NHS Shetland is underway.

Health

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any studies carried out to determine whether any specific illnesses or conditions in former UK services personnel, their children and grandchildren, could be related to radiation present at nuclear weapons tests carried out by Her Majesty’s Government in the Pacific Ocean and at Maralinga in Australia between 1952 and 1967 and what the results of any such studies were.

Mr Andy Kerr: Epidemiological studies carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board have found that overall levels of mortality and cancer incidence in UK nuclear weapons test participants have continued to be similar to those in a matched control group.

  We are not aware of any peer-reviewed studies of health of the children and grandchildren of UK Nuclear Test Veterans having been undertaken nor have we any evidence to suggest that such a study is required. The Seventh Report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) dismissed ideas of a general link between paternal preconceptional exposure to radiation and childhood cancer.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the recommendation of the Final Report of the Emergency Medical Admissions Scoping Group of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland that a primary care physician/general practitioner should be a member of the multi-professional team in every acute assessment centre.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive supports the principle of establishing multi-disciplinary teams to deliver unscheduled care in a range of settings. There are a number of examples of this working effectively in Scotland. General practitioners can, as part of the team make a valuable contribution to improving patient care. The Centre for Change and Innovation are taking a whole systems approach to the redesign of unscheduled care systems and processes in their Unscheduled Care Collaborative programme.

  I would also expect the advisory report being prepared by Professor David Kerr to touch on these issues.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase the frequency of monitoring of waiting times in accident and emergency departments to more than once a year.

Mr Andy Kerr: Yes. I regard this as essential to ensure that NHS boards meet the Executive’s target of no-one waiting more than four hours in Scottish accident and emergency departments by the end of 2007 – a target we announced in Fair to All, Personal to Each  published in December 2004 . 

  The Centre for Change and Innovation will be working with NHS boards throughout Scotland to support the development of real-time patient-based information through its Unscheduled Care Collaborative Programme, which will be launched shortly. It is intended that, by summer 2006, all accident and emergency units will be using electronic data capture systems to track performance against and progress towards our four hour maximum waiting time target.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-5109 by Rhona Brankin on 27 January 2005, when the report by NHS Greater Glasgow on the review of the assumptions that underpinned the decision on accident and emergency services in Glasgow will be published.

Mr Andy Kerr: This report was considered by Greater Glasgow NHS Board at their meeting on 22 February 2005. The full document can be viewed at the following link: http://library.nhsgg.org.uk/mediaAssets/Board%20Papers/05-11.pdf .

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure the optimal use of diagnostic services, both laboratory and radiology, in and out of hours to reduce waits and delays in unscheduled care, as recommended in the Final Report of the Emergency Medical Admissions Scoping Group of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive is working with the NHS in Scotland to further improve the care and treatment offered to patients at all stages of their pathway, including the pathway into and through unscheduled care. The recommendations in the Final Report of the Emergency Medical Admissions Scoping Group, set up by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, will be made available to improvement teams who are taking part in the Unscheduled Care Collaborative Programme, which aims to improve the responsiveness of unscheduled care generally. The collaborative programme will draw together local teams of staff to identify constraints and issues into and through the unscheduled care pathway, and their causes. Their experiences of redesigning care to improve the patient and carer experience will be shared across NHS Scotland through the programme.

  Actions to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of diagnostic test resources, including radiology and laboratory activity, are an important aspect of this. Unscheduled care in general, and diagnostic testing in particular, make particular demands on staff working patterns. New contracts of employment recently introduced in the NHS provide further flexibility and an important contribution to more responsive diagnostic service out of hours.

  In Fair to All, Personal to Each, published in December 2004, we said that we were determined to reduce waiting for diagnostic tests for the benefit of all NHS patients in Scotland, and that we would publish a set of diagnostic waiting time standards for boards to meet. This work is on track and the standards will be published in line with our undertaking.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any research is being carried out into the use of teleradiology within the NHS to assist image transfer from referring hospitals to specialist sites.

Mr Andy Kerr: A procurement exercise will soon be concluded which will identify a supplier of Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) to NHS Scotland. This system can be deployed to archive and retrieve radiological and other complex clinical images including in referring hospitals and specialist sites. The images and related data captured in the PACS system which we are procuring will be accessible from anywhere in NHS Scotland where a user has the right hardware and software and is entitled to view the information.

Health

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an investigation is being carried out into any increase in numbers of perinatal deaths in the Argyll and Clyde area and, if so, who is carrying out the investigation and when the report of the investigation will be published.

Rhona Brankin: All perinatal deaths in Scotland are subject to analysis to detect any worrying trends. NHS Argyll and Clyde is currently undertaking a detailed review of perinatal deaths to mothers who live in Inverclyde. An independent view of these cases will be given by Dr Gillian Penney, Director of the Scottish Programme for Clinical Effectiveness in Reproductive Health, which is part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. NHS Argyll and Clyde plan to report on the findings as soon as possible. The exact timing will be known once Dr Penney completes her review.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the working day and 24-hour availability of CT scanning for emergency patients, as recommended in the Final Report of the Emergency Medical Admissions Scoping Group of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16185 on 5 May 2005. As noted, the recommendations of the Final Report of the Emergency Medical Admissions Scoping Group of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will be taken forward through the work of the Unscheduled Care Collaborative Programme.

  The Executive is committed to working with the NHS in Scotland to help ensure minimum delay to the patient’s pathway, including the pathway through emergency care, while maintaining clinical quality standards. We will consider how we can support this approach in the context of the work of the Collaborative Programme.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in introducing a mechanism to identify recurrent admissions of patients over 80 and to systematically evaluate the needs of these patients by developing an action plan involving all relevant agencies and patients/carers in order to facilitate early discharge and to prevent any inappropriate readmission, as recommended in the Final Report of the Emergency Medical Admissions Scoping Group of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16179 on 5 May 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  It is a matter for local health systems to identify and analyse, through patient flows, recurrent admissions and to create action plans in partnership with relevant agencies and patient carers. There has been a significant amount of work and resources invested in recent years to enhance the service provided by NHS Primary care operational units with the intention of supporting patients in the community environment. Initiatives include: increased emphasis on rehabilitation, improved hospital discharge planning arrangements, and improved management of those with chronic disease.

  The Executive is investing £30 million a year to help local authorities and NHS boards tackle delayed discharges. Latest census shows that the number of patients delayed for more than six weeks has halved since the launch of the Delayed Discharge Action Plan in March 2002, with the number delayed for more than 12 months reduced by over three quarters. The total number has reduced from 3,116 to 1,785 over the same period.

  Scottish Executive Report Community Care – A Joint Future published November 2000, highlighted the need to improve partnership working. Joint future is an example of single system working, breaking down the historical silos of care not only between acute and primary care, but also between NHS, local authorities and the voluntary sector.

  Single Shared Assessment is at the centre of partnership working. It prevents people who require services being subjected to multiple assessments from a variety of disciplines. It is the cornerstone to achieving better and faster outcomes for individuals who require services.

  The Centre for Change and Innovation are taking a whole systems approach to the redesign of unscheduled care systems and processes in their Unscheduled Care Collaborative Programme. I would also expect the advisory report being prepared by Professor David Kerr to touch on these issues.

  The Executive have processes in place to monitor progress of local partnerships and will offer support to areas who have particular challenges.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be wide implementation of the Scottish Early Warning System documentation with a view to establishing a standardised clinical early warning system, as recommended in the Final Report of the Emergency Medical Admissions Scoping Group of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answered to question S2W-16185 on 5 May 2005.

  As noted, the recommendations of the Final Report of the Emergency Medical Admissions Scoping Group of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will be taken forward through the work of the Unscheduled Care Collaborative Programme.

  We will consider how we can support the adoption of the Scottish Early Warning System in the context of the work of the programme.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14046 by Hugh Henry on 25 February 2005, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Hugh Henry: I can confirm that the information provided in my reply to question S2W–14046 was inaccurate. This inaccuracy arose when the information provided to me was formatted and I apologise for that error. A corrected version of the table has been placed in the Parliament’s reference centre (Bib. number 36401).

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14048 by Hugh Henry on 25 February 2005, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Hugh Henry: I can confirm that the information provided in my reply to question S2W–14048 was inaccurate. This inaccuracy arose when the information provided to me was formatted and I apologise for that error. A corrected version of the table has been placed in Parliament’s reference Centre (Bib. number 36401).

Justice

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many legal actions have been taken out against traffickers of women and children since March 2004.

Colin Boyd QC: Section 22 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 makes it an offence to traffic in prostitution and came into force on 27 June 2003. No charges have been reported to procurators fiscal under this section since that date.

  Section 25 (1)(a) of the Immigration Act 1971 makes it an offence to assist others to enter the United Kingdom illegally and is much wider in scope than people trafficking. Five people have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal in Stranraer since March 2004 in relation to this section but none of the cases relate to systematic and organised people trafficking.

Legal Aid

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been for legal aid in each of the last five years by people taking civil action against psychiatric services in the NHS and what the percentage success rate was for such applications.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Legal Aid Board does not hold records specifically identifying cases relating to civil actions against NHS psychiatric services.

  Information is, however, available on awards of legal aid for appeals under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984. Figures for the past five years are shown in the following table:

  

 Year
 Applications Received
 Applications Granted Civil Legal Aid


 2000-01
 3
 2


 2001-02
 5
 6


 2002-03
 3
 0


 2003-04
 0
 1


 2004-05
 2
 2



  Applications granted do not necessarily correlate with applications received in the same year, since some applications may be received in one year with the decision taken in the next year. As a result, a success rate shown as a percentage would not be meaningful.

Legal Aid

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the highest award made by the Scottish Legal Aid Board was in the last five years to a person taking legal action against psychiatric services in the NHS.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Legal Aid Board does not hold records specifically identifying cases relating to legal actions against NHS psychiatric services. Information is, however, available on awards of legal aid for appeals under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984. The highest case cost in respect of such an appeal in the last five years was for £54,233.55 inclusive of VAT.

Local Government Finance

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19628 by Angus MacKay on 15 November 2001, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer providing a total derived from the data in the table.

Mr Tom McCabe: Identified allocations of funding to be made by the Scottish Executive to Argyll and Bute Council in financial year 2005-06 are shown in the table below. In addition, the Executive provides a range of other grants to local authorities, some of which are substantial, but for which information is either not held centrally on the breakdown by local authority area (for example grant made to the Strathclyde Joint Police Board) or where at this stage in the financial year the breakdown of funding by local authority area is not yet known (such as grants under the European Regional Development Fund).

  

 Category
 Amount Allocated


 Support for core services through Aggregate External Finance
£167,159,000


 Supported new in-year capital borrowing
£11,137,000


 School Travel Co-ordinators
£17,000


 20mph Speedzones and homezones
£211,000


 Cycling, walking and safer streets
£156,000


 Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant
£489,000


 Contaminated Land Grant
£72,000


 Anti-social Behaviour
£204,700


 Housing Support Grant
£135,000


 Strategic Waste Fund
£1,851,000


 Community Regeneration Fund
£986,000


 Community Voices Programme
£60,000


 Bus Route Development Grant
£328,000


 Determined to Succeed
£200,590


 Incentive Scheme
£6,000


 Private Sector Housing Grant
£15,000


 Homelessness Task Force
£376,700


 Furniture Grant
£57,534


 Implementation of Youth Justice Measures in ASB strategy
£161,000


 Workforce Development Fund
£112,122


 Children’s Hearings (legal representation)
£2,500


 Support for Care Leavers
£58,270


 Additional Funding for Foster Care
£43,700


 Public Transport Fund
£1,595,000


 Flood Prevention and Coast Protection
£123,000


 Schools Fund
£1,943,000


 Supporting People
£13,782,000


 Child Protection
£20,000


 Warm Deal
£16,000*


 Educational Maintenance Allowance
£250,000*


 Piers and Harbours
£3,724,000*


 Total
£201,302,116



  Note: Figures marked with an asterisk are estimates. Actual expenditure will depend on the uptake of grants during the year, some of which are demand-led.

Medical Research

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10014 by Malcolm Chisholm on 7 September 2004, to which (a) pesticides and (b) other non-pharmaceutical substances the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 will apply.

Mr Andy Kerr: Responsibility for the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 is a matter reserved to Westminster, the interpretation of the scope of the regulations is similarly reserved.

Medical Research

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9595 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 July 2004, whether all of the provisions of Schedule 2 of the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 will apply to (a) pesticides and (b) other non-pharmaceutical substances from 1 May 2005 and, if all provisions will not apply, which provisions will.

Mr Andy Kerr: In relation to the application of the provisions of the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004, I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10008 on 7 September 2004. In relation to the other provisions which may apply, I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10009 on 7 September 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search .

NHS 24

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls to NHS 24 in 2003-04 were classed as "out of hours" in the Glasgow centre, expressed also as a percentage of all calls to the centre.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS 24 Clyde Contact Centre went live in November 2002 and completed its roll-out covering five NHS board areas in November 2004. The calendar year 2004 therefore provides a more complete picture of demand on the Clyde Contact Centre, including the proportion dealt with out of hours, than would the earlier period 2003-04. In 2004, the contact centre dealt with 465,798 calls out of hours representing 82% of the demand handled by the centre.

NHS Funding

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been available in each year since 1999 for the replacement of CT scanners, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

  In 2000-01, £16 million was made available centrally, for the purchase of diagnostic equipment including CT and MRI Scanners.

  NHS boards are given an annual capital allocation and it is for them to determine, based on their local knowledge and taking into account other local and national priorities how these resources should be utilised. This includes decisions on the level of funding required for new and replacement CT scanners.

  Record levels of capital funding are being made available to NHSScotland with £426 million, £458 million and £532 million being provided in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively. Within the capital provision available over this period, £125 million has been specifically identified for the purchase/replacement of medical and diagnostic equipment. £40 million has been made available in the current year with a further £40 million and £45 million distributed in 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively.

Non-Domestic Rates

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8667 by Mr Jack McConnell on 28 July 2000, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the tables.

Mr Tom McCabe: Updated information on non-domestic rate income collected by local authorities for years 1996-97 to 2003-04 is shown in both cash and real terms in the following tables.

  Cash Terms 1996-2000

  

 
 1996-97
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000


 Aberdeen City
 86,909,230
 92,077,265
 101,318,328
 107,932,600


 Aberdeenshire
 44,835,817
 45,794,645
 49,466,288
 48,487,191


 Angus
 17,881,385
 17,667,960
 19,568,920
 21,069,069


 Argyll and Bute
 24,905,858
 23,925,238
 28,299,338
 23,747,965


 Clackmannanshire
 10,409,625
 10,604,813
 10,495,047
 11,539,780


 Dumfries and Galloway
 27,831,687
 31,037,389
 31,789,211
 33,402,835


 Dundee City
 39,584,602
 39,377,604
 42,071,071
 43,670,230


 East Ayrshire
 16,508,548
 20,644,896
 21,876,160
 23,412,662


 East Dunbartonshire
 14,695,819
 14,936,428
 14,797,539
 16,036,135


 East Lothian
 24,079,491
 24,224,075
 24,911,565
 26,772,712


 East Renfrewshire
 9,699,357
 8,102,884
 10,126,348
 11,158,841


 Edinburgh, City of
 169,526,631
 179,348,233
 186,151,389
 208,251,305


 Eilean Siar
 4,482,845
 4,636,830
 4,632,944
 4,817,703


 Falkirk
 45,196,145
 41,533,242
 44,466,106
 46,440,358


 Fife
 99,952,162
 93,983,725
 101,297,014
 91,226,077


 Glasgow City
 219,409,650
 203,939,379
 231,326,059
 239,192,865


 Highland
 51,131,606
 50,237,633
 53,075,991
 56,675,597


 Inverclyde
 14,111,817
 15,684,943
 14,744,755
 18,236,927


 Midlothian
 11,729,201
 11,998,115
 12,994,938
 14,551,079


 Moray
 18,100,377
 19,300,029
 19,672,200
 20,021,799


 North Ayrshire
 34,462,286
 35,580,437
 37,390,012
 39,012,317


 North Lanarkshire
 63,138,676
 56,933,088
 68,164,545
 68,604,237


 Orkney
 5,962,906
 5,639,008
 6,209,691
 6,391,268


 Perth and Kinross
 31,684,643
 32,776,628
 32,924,975
 36,622,733


 Renfrewshire
 43,513,331
 44,499,634
 46,023,557
 49,085,909


 Scottish Borders
 16,299,596
 17,340,330
 18,548,281
 18,811,036


 Shetland
 15,915,411
 14,235,802
 12,351,868
 12,967,924


 South Ayrshire
 25,664,737
 26,253,041
 28,296,107
 29,390,735


 South Lanarkshire
 63,847,135
 57,732,714
 69,496,242
 74,688,174


 Stirling
 23,350,956
 23,435,752
 26,955,963
 26,968,347


 West Dunbartonshire
 20,572,119
 22,853,790
 22,396,215
 23,199,411


 West Lothian
 36,658,220
 40,843,193
 44,096,478
 44,261,659


 Scotland
 1,332,051,869
 1,327,178,743
 1,435,935,145
 1,496,647,480



  Cash Terms 2000-2004

  

 
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04


 Aberdeen City
 111,491,161
 117,067,241
 117,114,986
 122,789,920


 Aberdeenshire
 51,199,776
 51,690,434
 56,499,041
 54,532,121


 Angus
 22,545,790
 22,849,877
 24,478,242
 22,391,126


 Argyll and Bute
 27,184,694
 29,103,434
 29,973,422
 24,952,301


 Clackmannanshire
 8,611,689
 11,881,183
 11,810,328
 10,673,429


 Dumfries and Galloway
 33,945,343
 33,789,648
 36,084,883
 36,618,520


 Dundee City
 51,268,247
 52,414,400
 54,543,728
 54,614,290


 East Ayrshire
 23,345,485
 24,718,569
 25,641,337
 24,631,545


 East Dunbartonshire
 16,697,906
 18,366,835
 18,295,130
 18,072,326


 East Lothian
 25,946,276
 26,471,778
 23,787,546
 24,692,589


 East Renfrewshire
 10,292,517
 10,699,953
 11,774,519
 11,917,428


 Edinburgh, City of
 218,291,223
 232,671,396
 242,128,765
 244,507,737


 Eilean Siar
 4,974,325
 5,310,706
 5,364,601
 5,246,558


 Falkirk
 48,664,356
 53,436,121
 53,676,187
 53,544,037


 Fife
 103,713,870
 109,935,963
 111,886,828
 101,289,553


 Glasgow City
 260,622,077
 266,242,079
 256,909,020
 267,408,975


 Highland
 57,402,778
 64,403,214
 64,608,175
 65,896,872


 Inverclyde
 17,961,336
 20,277,936
 20,483,599
 19,042,981


 Midlothian
 15,210,458
 16,418,145
 17,485,692
 17,242,801


 Moray
 21,906,519
 23,230,172
 23,809,487
 23,777,800


 North Ayrshire
 39,974,166
 38,961,538
 37,984,651
 37,462,204


 North Lanarkshire
 74,494,428
 80,037,271
 82,958,017
 84,162,877


 Orkney
 6,346,315
 6,788,122
 6,744,776
 6,409,323


 Perth and Kinross
 38,841,063
 41,466,994
 43,666,559
 44,265,539


 Renfrewshire
 55,350,661
 55,548,833
 64,417,067
 65,970,412


 Scottish Borders
 20,535,615
 20,646,870
 22,450,246
 22,047,607


 Shetland
 12,533,732
 13,119,678
 12,999,494
 12,463,536


 South Ayrshire
 28,155,259
 30,838,489
 31,837,637
 31,760,645


 South Lanarkshire
 76,175,412
 80,651,562
 84,024,794
 86,546,343


 Stirling
 30,651,048
 31,850,892
 33,677,181
 33,717,033


 West Dunbartonshire
 19,018,967
 25,164,072
 25,732,364
 25,306,193


 West Lothian
 44,259,817
 54,755,781
 52,242,124
 52,080,260


 Scotland
 1,577,612,309
 1,670,809,187
 1,705,090,426
 1,706,034,881



  Source: Returns submitted by Local Authorities to the Scottish Executive.

  Real-Terms at 2003-04 Prices

  

 
 1996-97
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000


 Aberdeen City
 103,459,674
 106,869,004
 114,300,589
 119,163,787


 Aberdeenshire
 53,374,066
 53,151,319
 55,804,571
 53,532,643


 Angus
 21,286,603
 20,506,227
 22,076,352
 23,261,462


 Argyll and Bute
 29,648,772
 27,768,704
 31,925,428
 26,219,117


 Clackmannanshire
 12,391,968
 12,308,422
 11,839,813
 12,740,580


 Dumfries and Galloway
 33,131,777
 36,023,386
 35,862,470
 36,878,648


 Dundee City
 47,122,843
 45,703,413
 47,461,780
 48,214,441


 East Ayrshire
 19,652,331
 23,961,392
 24,679,227
 25,848,923


 East Dunbartonshire
 17,494,398
 17,335,888
 16,693,598
 17,704,814


 East Lothian
 28,665,037
 28,115,548
 28,103,568
 29,558,611


 East Renfrewshire
 11,546,441
 9,404,571
 11,423,871
 12,320,001


 Edinburgh, City of
 201,810,210
 208,159,604
 210,003,598
 229,921,397


 Eilean Siar
 5,336,530
 5,381,713
 5,226,579
 5,319,021


 Falkirk
 53,803,013
 48,205,344
 50,163,699
 51,272,821


 Fife
 118,986,420
 109,081,727
 114,276,544
 100,718,826


 Glasgow City
 261,192,636
 236,701,191
 260,966,651
 264,082,655


 Highland
 60,868,786
 58,308,050
 59,876,798
 62,573,113


 Inverclyde
 16,799,182
 18,204,648
 16,634,050
 20,134,614


 Midlothian
 13,962,836
 13,925,550
 14,660,023
 16,065,227


 Moray
 21,547,298
 22,400,479
 22,192,866
 22,105,216


 North Ayrshire
 41,025,066
 41,296,251
 42,180,921
 43,071,838


 North Lanarkshire
 75,162,406
 66,079,096
 76,898,699
 75,743,016


 Orkney
 7,098,444
 6,544,886
 7,005,360
 7,056,327


 Perth and Kinross
 37,718,466
 38,042,025
 37,143,764
 40,433,600


 Renfrewshire
 51,799,735
 51,648,271
 51,920,711
 54,193,662


 Scottish Borders
 19,403,588
 20,125,965
 20,924,935
 20,768,464


 Shetland
 18,946,241
 16,522,710
 13,934,555
 14,317,333


 South Ayrshire
 30,552,167
 30,470,457
 31,921,783
 32,449,059


 South Lanarkshire
 76,005,780
 67,007,177
 78,401,031
 82,460,032


 Stirling
 27,797,764
 27,200,585
 30,409,922
 29,774,603


 West Dunbartonshire
 24,489,743
 26,525,134
 25,265,918
 25,613,482


 West Lothian
 43,639,180
 47,404,442
 49,746,709
 48,867,413


 Scotland
 1,585,719,402
 1,540,383,179
 1,619,926,383
 1,652,384,742



  Real-Terms at 2003-04 Prices

  

 
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04


 Aberdeen City
 121,680,703
 124,593,962
 120,508,506
 122,789,920


 Aberdeenshire
 55,879,091
 55,013,819
 58,136,155
 54,532,121


 Angus
 24,606,324
 24,318,987
 25,187,523
 22,391,126


 Argyll and Bute
 29,669,192
 30,974,610
 30,841,931
 24,952,301


 Clackmannanshire
 9,398,739
 12,645,072
 12,152,544
 10,673,429


 Dumfries and Galloway
 37,047,719
 35,962,120
 37,130,477
 36,618,520


 Dundee City
 55,953,820
 55,784,331
 56,124,185
 54,614,290


 East Ayrshire
 25,479,105
 26,307,825
 26,384,319
 24,631,545


 East Dunbartonshire
 18,223,982
 19,547,712
 18,825,249
 18,072,326


 East Lothian
 28,317,591
 28,173,755
 24,476,813
 24,692,589


 East Renfrewshire
 11,233,184
 11,387,896
 12,115,697
 11,917,428


 Edinburgh, City of
 238,241,572
 247,630,771
 249,144,679
 244,507,737


 Eilean Siar
 5,428,945
 5,652,153
 5,520,045
 5,246,558


 Falkirk
 53,111,951
 56,871,743
 55,231,506
 53,544,037


 Fife
 113,192,620
 117,004,186
 115,128,857
 101,289,553


 Glasgow City
 284,441,182
 283,359,847
 264,353,206
 267,408,975


 Highland
 62,649,006
 68,543,954
 66,480,259
 65,896,872


 Inverclyde
 19,602,881
 21,581,686
 21,077,131
 19,042,981


 Midlothian
 16,600,592
 17,473,733
 17,992,357
 17,242,801


 Moray
 23,908,627
 24,723,733
 24,499,390
 23,777,800


 North Ayrshire
 43,627,536
 41,466,531
 39,085,293
 37,462,204


 North Lanarkshire
 81,302,717
 85,183,187
 85,361,805
 84,162,877


 Orkney
 6,926,325
 7,224,558
 6,940,212
 6,409,323


 Perth and Kinross
 42,390,875
 44,133,073
 44,931,840
 44,265,539


 Renfrewshire
 60,409,339
 59,120,290
 66,283,614
 65,970,412


 Scottish Borders
 22,412,432
 21,974,340
 23,100,764
 22,047,607


 Shetland
 13,679,231
 13,963,195
 13,376,167
 12,463,536


 South Ayrshire
 30,728,460
 32,821,219
 32,760,163
 31,760,645


 South Lanarkshire
 83,137,332
 85,836,974
 86,459,493
 86,546,343


 Stirling
 33,452,348
 33,898,713
 34,653,010
 33,717,033


 West Dunbartonshire
 20,757,173
 26,781,971
 26,477,984
 25,306,193


 West Lothian
 48,304,867
 58,276,249
 53,755,890
 52,080,260


 Scotland
 1,721,795,461
 1,778,232,193
 1,754,497,063
 1,706,034,881



  Final figures are not yet available for 2004-05 and 2005-06 collections, but the Scottish Executive estimates total income of around £1,802.9 million and £1,850 million respectively, for these years.

Planning

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what actions can be taken by local authority planning departments who obtain interim interdicts against developers who then breach the interdict by continuing to develop without approval.

Johann Lamont: Where a planning authority has sought, and been granted, an interdict from the Court of Session or the sheriff, it would be a matter for the court to determine if the terms of the interdict had been breached, and if so, to determine the appropriate action to be taken against the developer.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on upgrading visitor, staff and administrative facilities in each prison in the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  During the last five years, the SPS’s Estate Development Programme included a new health centre and staff facility at HM Prison Shotts (combined project value of £1.5 million), a visits upgrade at HM Prison Edinburgh (project value of £1.5 million), staff facility at HM Prison Glenochil (project value of £0.7 million) and some improvements to staff and administrative facilities at HM Prison Aberdeen and HM Prison Greenock as part of wider prison developments (combined project values of £0.7 million and £1.6 million respectively).

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it forecasts spending to be on upgrading visitor, staff and administrative facilities in each prison in the next five years.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS’s Estate Development Programme will in the next five years give priority to the elimination of the practice of slopping-out by replacing out-of-date prisoner accommodation with modern facilities. The SPS is seeking to provide completely redeveloped prisons at HM Prison Edinburgh, HM Prison Glenochil, HM Prison Perth and HMYOI Polmont during this period. Some upgrading of visitor, staff and administrative facilities will be incorporated in this programme. Separate costings for these facilities are not available at this stage of the process.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rules and guidelines cover the attendance of MSPs at media conferences held by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons.

Cathy Jamieson: The decision to hold a media conference to launch an HM Chief Inspector of Prisons report is made by the Chief Inspector.

Prison Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total number of meals consumed by prisoners was in each prison in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is not available.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an updated version of annexe 15 to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ report on an inspection of HM Prison Kilmarnock in March 2002.

Cathy Jamieson: The Chief Inspector no longer produces this annex.

Rail Services

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the total funds invested in the First ScotRail franchise by (a) it, (b) First Group plc and (c) any other sources since the inception of the franchise.

Nicol Stephen: The total subsidy provided to First ScotRail since the start of the franchise is £102.7 millions.

  On agreeing to the terms of the franchise for operating the Rail services in Scotland, First Group plc committed to spending £40 million of Capital Expenditure over the seven years of the franchise. £17 million is due to be spent in the first 18 months of the franchise, of which £2.5 million has been spent to date.

  A significant investment is being made in staff numbers and staff development. Over 150 additional staff have been employed in the franchise to date, with more planned. First ScotRail are investing at least £1 million per annum in staff training and development.

Rail Services

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the total funds invested in the previous ScotRail franchise by (a) it and the Scottish Office, (b) National Express Group and (c) any other sources over the entire period of the franchise.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.

  The franchise payments received by ScotRail since 1998-1999 are detailed in the table below.

  

 
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04


 ScotRail Franchise Payments 
(£ Million)
 280.18
 270.00
 248.57
 214.26
 230.08
 251.67



  This information was collated from the Strategic Rail Authority Annual Report 2003-2004.

Rail Services

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how much was paid, and on which dates, through the Strategic Rail Authority to the National Express Group as compensation for loss of revenue during any industrial disputes within ScotRail.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information. We have requested information from the Strategic Rail Authority and will write to the member with information once we receive it.

Rail Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15166 by Nicol Stephen on 24 March 2005, what specific role the new regional partnership in the west of Scotland will have in the development, management and monitoring of rail services in its area.

Nicol Stephen: There are a number of tasks that we propose that the new regional transport partnership in the west of Scotland could perform:

  Development – developing project proposals, including producing feasibility studies, developing the business case, through to securing parliamentary powers for infrastructure projects and acting to ensure delivery. It would also involve the development of proposals to improve the passenger journey in rail services and franchise-specific proposals.

  Management and monitoring – on behalf of Scottish ministers supporting the national transport agency for Scotland in the day to day franchise management and monitoring activities including performance monitoring, ensuring that the franchisee meets the contractually committed targets and obligations, and analysing trends. These issues will be discussed in greater detail with SPT and the relevant councils over the coming months.

Regional Selective Assistance

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13481 by Allan Wilson on 26 January 2005, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the tables.

Allan Wilson: Further to my answer to question S2W-13481, updated tables and figures for the period 1 January 2005 to 31 March 2005 are available from the Parliament’s reference centre. (Bib. number 36393).

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate was of the cost of the public local inquiry (PLI) on the M74 Special Road (Fullarton Road to West of Kingston Bridge) Orders prior to the inquiry commencing.

Nicol Stephen: The estimated cost at the start of the PLI was £602,000.

Rural Development

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what process has been put in place to make forest crofts available from the Forestry Commission estate.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which bodies are involved in taking forward the ministerial commitment to make forest crofts available to applicants.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the process to make forest crofts available will be announced.

Lewis Macdonald: A review of the land managed by Forestry Commission Scotland was carried out last year and ministers accepted the recommendation that "Forestry Commission Scotland, SEERAD and the Crofters Commission should jointly examine whether; and how, national forest estate land might be used to create new crofts under the crofting legislation".

  A steering group, comprising Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department and the Crofters Commission, has been set up to consider options for the creation of forest crofts. The Scottish Crofting Foundation and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will also be invited to join and the steering group will report to ministers by the end of the year.

Scots Language

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has committed for the protection and promotion of the Scots language in this year and the next two financial years.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive has not earmarked a specific budget for Scots language development. It provides funding for Scots activities through the general resources which it makes available to cultural and educational bodies, local authorities and the enterprise network. There are a range of groups supporting and promoting Scots in Scotland including the Scots Language Society, the Scots Language Resource Centre, Scottish Language Dictionaries, Dictionary of the Scottish Tongue and the Association for Scottish Literary Studies. Expenditure by these bodies and groups on projects and programmes related to the Scots language is not centrally collated.

  The Executive has advocated the inclusion of Scots in the school curriculum where appropriate. There is continuing support on the part of the Scottish Executive, Learning and Teaching Scotland, and the Scottish Qualifications Authority which is designed to assist schools in making pupils aware of the richness and diversity of language, including Scots, in introducing them to a range of Scottish literature, and in encouraging them to develop the ability to understand and to communicate effectively in forms of Scots.

Scottish Executive Consultation

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15621 by Sarah Boyack on 17 May 2001, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the total with the data in the table.

Nicol Stephen: A complete list of all the respondents to the Strategic Priorities for Scotland’s Passenger Railway consultation, published December 2000, is in the Scottish Executive Library and available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/transport/spspr-19.asp

Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of "services" in Part 5 of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill and whether it intends to lodge an amendment to insert a definition of "services" at stage 2 of the bill.

Mr Andy Kerr: Part 5 of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill contains references to "services" in sections 25, 28, 29 and 31.

  The reference to "services" in section 25 is in the context of the meaning of "independent health care service" as set out in section 2(5) of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.

  The references to "services" in section 28 and 29 are in the context of housing support services and childcare agencies as defined in sections 2(27) and 2(7) of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001, respectively.

  The references to "services" in section 31 are to services provided to enable persons or groups of persons exercising functions, or otherwise providing services, under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978.

  The Executive does not intend to further define "services" within the bill.

Sport

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sports clubs are registered as community amateur sports clubs, broken down by sport.

Patricia Ferguson: The Community Amateur Sports Club scheme is administered by HM Revenue and Customs. A list of clubs registered under the scheme is available on their website at: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/casc/index.htm .

Sport

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15297 by Lewis Macdonald on 15 April 2005, whether the report, commissioned by the Country Sports Tourism Group, will measure the (a) direct and (b) indirect economic, environmental and social impact of shooting sports and, if not, whether the Executive will reconsider its decision not to undertake work of this nature.

Patricia Ferguson: I fully recognise the value of country sports to the tourism industry in Scotland, especially to rural areas. The research project in question was commissioned by the Country Sports Tourism Group, which includes VisitScotland, and gathered information on visitors to Scotland who participate in country sports. The report, published in October 2004, estimated that the value of this niche market is currently around £200 million per year. The full report can be found at: http://www.scotexchange.net/countrysports.com .

Student Finance

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is available to graduates undertaking postgraduate training.

Mr Jim Wallace: While most post-graduate students will have received student support as of right during their undergraduate studies, direct Government-funded support at the post-graduate level has always been highly selective. Current funding arrangements are geared towards maintaining the excellence of UK research and contributing to the supply of highly trained manpower.

  Limited public funding for post-graduate study is provided for some students through the Postgraduate Students’ Allowances Scheme (PSAS), generally for nine-month taught post-graduate diploma courses on largely vocational subjects. However, it has never been the policy of this or any previous Government that every student accepted for a post-graduate course of study or research at higher education institutions should automatically receive support from public funds.

  Support for courses at masters and doctorate level is also provided by the UK Research Councils, depending on field of study. All are independent bodies and the fact that a course lies within their remit does not oblige them to support all, or indeed any, students applying for awards.

  Many students at this level obtain loans from banks, seek sponsorship, receive help from educational trusts or pursue their studies on a part-time basis.

Suicide

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many suicides there have been from the Erskine Bridge in each of the last five years.

Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for Strathclyde Police. The information requested is not held centrally.

Suicide

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many attempted suicides there have been from the Erskine Bridge in each of the last five years.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.

Suicide

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been put in place on the Erskine Bridge to prevent suicides.

Nicol Stephen: The Erskine Bridge has a 1.2m high pedestrian guardrail over most of its length which is similar to that on other structures of this type. To assist in preventing suicides at Erskine Bridge high fencing has been installed on the most recent sections of the bridge.

  CCTV cameras and telephone boxes have also been installed and these have proved to be effective in helping to avoid possible suicide attempts. The CCTV cameras allow toll collection staff at the bridge to alert the police to suspicious activity and early police intervention can help to deter people from jumping from the bridge.

Transport

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24402 by Lewis Macdonald on 26 April 2002, whether it will publish an updated version of the answer reconciling the totals with the data in the table.

Nicol Stephen: The data in the table set out in the answer to S1W-24402 by Lewis Macdonald on 26 April 2002 were taken from the nine regional leaflets which were issued to accompany the publication of Scotland’s Transport: Delivering Improvements .

  The City of Glasgow area appeared in both the West of Scotland 2 and West of Scotland 3 leaflets, and therefore figured in two rows of the written answer’s table. Glasgow was, however, counted only once in the all-Scotland totals, making the sum of the individual columns greater than the Scotland totals.

  I attach a revised table which makes this clearer.

  

 Region
 Population
Total Cost(£million)
Cost Per Capita(£)
 Schemes


 Highlands and Islands
 325,890
 71.029
 217.95
 193


 North East Scotland
 525,300
 39.622
 75.43
 75


 Northern Isles
 42,340
 16.741
 395.39
 69


 South East Scotland 1
 884,900
 145.238
 164.13
 66


 South East Scotland 2
 277,600
 39.541
 142.44
 31


 Tay
 737,500
 71.303
 96.68
 105


 West of Scotland 1
 521,400
 73.358
 140.69
 99


 West of Scotland 2 (excluding Glasgow)
 533,610
 49.752
 93.20
 14


 West of Scotland 3 (excluding Glasgow)
 659,220
 46.352
 70.30
 37


 Glasgow
 611,440
 112.279
 183.60
 20


 Scotland
 5,119,200
 665.215
 129.95
 709

Transport

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-15405 by Nicol Stephen on 18 April 2005, who has been commissioned to carry out the study of transport issues in and around Maybole; what the group’s remit is; what the duration of the study will be, and on what date the group is expected to report back.

Nicol Stephen: W S Atkins has been commissioned to undertake a Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance assessment of the transport problems in Maybole. They will report to my officials, and subject to the report fully meeting the terms of the brief, I expect their report to be publicly available in the autumn.

  The commission includes provision for further work to identify a preferred by-pass route if this recommended. It is premature to estimate how long such additional work might take.

Transport

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is being given to additional park-and-ride provision to meet the needs of new developments in south-east Edinburgh.

Nicol Stephen: As a result of successful bids to the Executive’s Public Transport Fund, City of Edinburgh Council and Midlothian Council respectively were awarded funding for the provision of bus-based park-and-ride sites at Straiton and Todhills, due for completion in the current financial year.

  The Executive will continue to work in partnership with regional transport partnerships, transport authorities and operators across Scotland to identify further opportunities for investment in park-and-ride provision.